Bhulabhai Desai was a leading lawyer and politician. He was born on October 13, 1877 in
Valsad,
Gujarat. He graduated from Elphinstone College,
Mumbai. He won the Wordsworth Prize and a scholarship for scoring the highest in History and Political Economics. He did his MA in English from the University of Bombay. Bhulabhai was appointed Professor of English and History in the Gujarat College,
Ahmedabad.
Bhulabhai Desai became an advocate at the Bombay High Court in 1905. He began his political career by joining the Home Rule League. Later on, he joined the Liberal Party. Bhulabhai Desai defended the farmers of Gujurat and forced the British Government to revise its land revenue norms, return confiscated land to farmers and release prisoners. Bhulabhai Desai joined the Congress in 1930. He was later included in the Congress Working Committee. In November 1934, Bhulabhai Desai was elected to the Central Legislative Assembly from Gujarat.
Bhulabhai supported the boycott of foreign goods movement by persuading 80 mills to join it. He was subsequently arrested. He firmly believed that only political and economic interests truly aroused national consciousness of the people of the country. He kept religion away from politics. He defended 3 soldiers of the revolutionary Indian National army (INA), who were being prosecuted by the British Government on charge of treason against the British crown. Bhulabhai Desai died on May 6, 1946.
